1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an aseismatic mount for exhibition of articles and a showcase equipped with the aseismatic mount for protecting works of art from an earthquake disaster.
2. Prior Art
There are many exhibition mounts and showcases installed in art galleries, museums, temples and so on to exhibit excavated cultural inheritances, Buddist statues, such works of art as sculptures, etc. However, since these exhibition mounts and showcases are conventionally installed directly on floors of rooms, the exhibition mounts and showcases collapse and the exhibited articles as works of arts are damaged or broken, meaning serious loss that cannot be recovered, once an earthquake takes place. As a countermeasure, structures are made solid by, for example, making frameworks of exhibition mounts and showcases thick. However, the structures not only cost much but also are difficult to completely prevent collapse in case of a great earthquake. Therefore, an aseismatic equipment has been developed in which such elastic body as neo-plain rubber is installed between installation surfaces and exhibition mounts or showcases so that shaking energy can be absorbed and diminished by the shearing strain.
Since the level of horizontal displacement is low in case of a small earthquake, even such elastic body of the aseismatic equipment as above-mentioned can disminish the shaking energy. However, in case of a great earthquake when the level of horizontal displacement reaches as large as 30 cm, such elastic body as above-mentioned can not absorb the shaking energy of so great a displacement. Therefore, there exists a problem that most of the seismic waves are transmitted to the exhibition mounts and showcases via the elastic body, a consequence of which is that the exhibited objects and the whole showcases are overturned and great damages are incurred. Moreover, the aseismatic equipment installed with elastic body is exposed and visible, and does not harmonize with the exhibition mounts and the showcases, which damages the beauty of the exhibit as a whole. It may be considered that a board screen is installed at the bottom end of the exhibition mounts and the showcases to cover the aseistmatic equipment, however, there still exists a problem that it is difficult to maintain and inspect the aseismatic equipment.